Sake
by Suadade
Summary: Sasuke and Naruto have both been chasing after each other for so long that they can't picture a future without each other. Of course some alcohol always helps to reach that conclusion.


To say Sasuke was bored would have been an understatement. After a particularly long recon mission he was given a week off to restock and rest. It was Thursday afternoon and he was only on day two of his seven day break. To make matters worse, the blonde ball of insanely hyper ninja that was somehow his best friend was currently off on a mission and not due back for another day so he had no one to train with.

Sasuke grumbled as he walked slowly through Konoha to the training grounds to spar alone. It was stupid for him to be gone, he was supposed to have a week of rest since he had been on the same recon mission as Sasuke, but at the last minute the captain of a chunin team feel ill and Naruto was called to take his place. Normally this never would have happened, Naruto was a high ranking ANBU and should not have been called upon to lead a team on a C ranked mission, but Sasuke knew Tsunade was trying to get Naruto to accept a genin team because she thought it would not only be good for him, but that he would also be a great sensei.

As he passed through the village gates he paused in his internal rant and looked off into the distance to see a figure dashing quickly towards the gate. Sasuke casually let a hand rest upon the hilt of his sword as he heard the gate guards come up on either side of him to get a better look at the figure. Soon the figure was in easy view and Sasuke realized it was the youngest member of the chunin team-a boy of about fourteen-and that he certainly looked worse for wear. Before the guards could even open their mouths Sasuke had quickly dashed forwards and grabbed the boys arms in a death grip, barely noticing the blood transferring to his own hands.

"What happened?" Though frantic, Sasuke spoke as if he were remarking about an obnoxious cloud that was blocking the sun and marring an otherwise perfect summer day. While he might have been thrown off guard and become extremely concerned, he would be damned if anyone else knew.

"Surprise attack. They got Naruto first with some kind of poison. We got them, but I'm the least hurt. They're having a hard time carrying Naruto and they're afraid they won't make it back here in time-"

Barely had these words slipped the young ninjas mouth before Sasuke let go of him and dashed off in the direction he had come from. The two gate guards caught the boy as he sagged and ran to take him to the hospital and tell the hokage of what had happened.

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Sasuke was only an hour out of Konoha, traveling at breakneck speed, when he sensed the presence of others. Quickly masking his chakra he searched silently for the ninja he sensed. When he found them he wasn't sure whether to be happy or terrified.

The other two members of the team were a tall yet unremarkable boy of about sixteen and a girl with strikingly white hair of about the same age. Both were covered in blood and bandages, and the boy seemed to be sporting a badly broken arm. What drew Sasuke's attention, however, was the blond slung over the boy's back. His bright hair was filled with the contrasting dark hues of dried blood he hung limp. The man who refused to stay down when all logic said he should be dead wasn't even moving.

Sasuke had Naruto off the boy's back and onto his own almost before the two chunin even noticed his presence. Weapons were drawn and put away almost in the same instant as they realized this was not another ninja come to attack them, this was none other than Konoha's precious Uchiha, inexplicable best friend of one Uzumaki Naruto. No words were exchanged as the pace increased now that the dead weight of Naruto wasn't being carried by a person already injured. It took them almost two hours to cover the distance back to the village and the second they were through the gates Sasuke left the injured chunin to the capable hands of the gate guards and raced Naruto directly to Tsunade and Sakura.

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After waiting in the hallway for what seemed like an eternity, the door opened and Sakura walked out. Without saying a word she sat on the bench next to Sasuke and put her face in her hands with a heavy sigh, the moment she did this she felt Sasuke tense up besides her, fearing the worst.

"He's ok. Or he will be. The poison was some kind of paralyzer and chakra suppressant mixed together. While paralyzed he took some nasty blows, that's why he was passed out, and due to the suppressant the kyuubi's chakra was unable to heal him," Sakura finally took her face from her hands and leaned back until her head was resting against the wall and closed her eyes, "He's awake, healed, and moving again, but the suppressant will have to wear out on it's own, but it really shouldn't take more than a week. So now he's getting his week of rest, but you're not. Tsunade wants you to watch out for him, he's never been unable to use kyuubi's chakra and she doesn't know how this will affect him."

Sasuke got up and walked into the room and was glad to be blasted with a verbal attack from the now very awake Naruto.

"Teme! How is my team? They weren't badly hurt were they? If I got them killed-"

"Shut up dobe," the only thing that would stop Naruto rambling was to interrupt him. "When I last saw them the kid just had superficial wounds, the other boy had a broken arm and was pretty scratched up, the girl had some burns and other superficial wounds."

"Wait, you _left _them? They got hurt because of me and you just _abandoned_ them?!"

"I left them at the gate you idiot, the youngest was the one that told us what happened."

"Alright you two, stop squabbling," Tsunade finished writing stuff down on a clipboard and walked over to stand next to the two men with her hands on her hips. "Sasuke, I'm assuming Sakura already told you this, but I want Naruto to stay with you for a few days until we know how the lack of kyuubi's chakra is going to affect him, or until the suppressants wear off. Naruto don't argue!"

Naruto shut his mouth and started muttering about baa-chans and stupid temes while Sasuke sighed. This was going to be a long week.

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The sun was setting when they finally got Naruto settled in to stay at Sasuke's for a few days. Sasuke was sitting on the couch with his head tilted back, eyes closed; Naruto had made him carry the heavier of the bags (that felt like it was filled with lead) and was already aggravating him. He could feel Naruto's eyes on him as he stood next to the couch, probably debating how to annoy the Uchiha more.

"We should get drunk."

That was not what he expected to hear. Opening his eyes and raising an eyebrow, Sasuke regarded his friend who pulled out a case of Sake bottles that must have been in the heavy bag and gave his trademark grin. Sasuke was interested to note that the grin didn't quite reach his eyes like usual, instead there was a sort of fear there.

"Why?"

"Come on! I nearly _died_! Besides, you and I have never gotten drunk together as best friends should, and with kyuubi's chakra suppressed, this may be the one time I actually can get drunk," Sasuke nodded slightly as the real reason came out. Of course Naruto would want to get shit faced just because he never could before and wanted to know what it felt like.

"If you're a cuddly drunk I will kill you."

"As if," Naruto knew that was all the agreement he was going to get from the silent Sasuke so he tossed a bottle to his friend and grabbed one for himself, "I bet you're an angry drunk and will try to kill me anyways-wait no, we've been there before."

Sasuke just stared impassively and took a large swig of the sake and watched in amusement as Naruto did the same and spluttered from the harsh taste. Naruto was about to loudly complain that the alcohol had gone bad or something when he noticed Sasuke calmly drinking it like it was tea. Naturally he couldn't lose to his rival.

After finishing the second bottle, however, he had no complaints even if he was willing to voice them.

As Naruto staggered back to the couch with their third bottles he sank into the cushions flush against Sasuke. Sasuke ignored the over bright blue eyes and the pink tinged cheeks that were so close to his own and took a sip of the sake, refusing to lose to Naruto of all people in a drinking contest.

"Sasuke," when no reply came Naruto took a large gulp of sake and continued, "How close was I to dying?"

"Too close."

"Hmm," Naruto nodded as if that confirmed what he had imagined. "I was thinkin' of what I'd do if you or Sakura died...It'd be horrible. Never seeing you or sparring with you again..."

A shudder passed through Naruto as he imagined a life without his friends and he threw an arm around Sasuke's waist and put his face against his chest. Sasuke, now thoroughly frozen by the antics of his friend, did the only thing he could think of and took another sip.

"Sorry for scaring you, Sakura said you were terrified. Wish I coulda seen that. I promise I won't leave you, not on purpose. I know it sucks to be alone."

Sasuke wasn't sure how it happened, but he found himself hugging Naruto, face buried in the bright hair. The thought of losing the blonde was too much. True, Sasuke had other friends, but none were Naruto. None had chased him down time after time and refused to let him lose himself in hatred. Naruto twisted in his friend and rival's hold and looked at his face, his eyes were bright with tears that were granted a rare appearance, though they would never fall, and the circles under the eyes from a long stressful day.

"Come on, bed time. I don't wanna drink more and have you crying on me. Too weird."

Even drunk Sasuke won't stand to be made fun of. The punch caught Naruto on the side of the head, but still they continued towards the sole bedroom in the house.

But apparently the day was not done with unprecedented things happening. After the boys laid down on opposite ends of the bed Sasuke turned so he was flush against Naruto and he held on to him. For once Sasuke held on to the thing that kept him sane and anchored in the world instead of just trusting it to hold on for the both of them.

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Naruto woke warmer and more comfortable than he ever had before. He quickly realized the reason for this was that not only was he not on his shitty bed, but also that he was being held by his friend, rival, and apparently something more. He was careful not to move, knowing the moment he did Sasuke would wake and probably punch him. In the face.

And that would only exacerbate the hangover headache.

For several more minutes Naruto laid there wondering over this latest development in their friendship as he heard Sasuke's breath change as he slowly woke. Naruto, being wrapped in Sasuke's arms, knew the moment he woke. Ninja were trained to wake silently so they had time to evaluate their surroundings. Normally this evaluation would last a moment when they were in their own bed like normal, but this wasn't normal. Sasuke's whole body tensed as he woke and instead of relaxing when he fully woke and understood he was safely in his bed he stayed tensed almost as if he was afraid to move. They both knew the other was awake, but both were afraid to move and shatter the fragile peace.

"Say something instead of just lying there thinking rigor mortis has set in and you're stuck like that forever," Ah the eloquence of Naruto. Sasuke flopped back so he was spread across the bed, one arm still stuck under Naruto. As Naruto turned to face him he quickly saved his arm before it could be trapped again.

"Say what," Sasuke was using his most carefully empty tone, the one no one could gather any information from. Except Naruto knew that and knew he only used that tone when he was extremely angry, plotting something, or on the rare occasion, afraid. Naruto decided it was either the first or the latter, and since an angry Sasuke was a vicious one and an afraid Sasuke was downright deadly, he wisely said nothing.

As Sasuke raised his hands to rub the sleep from his eyes and kept them resting over his face Naruto decided to be bold. If he was in for an acorn, might as well be in for the whole damn oak. He moved closer and wrapped an arm around Sasuke's waist as he put his head on the other boys chest, avoiding his eyes. These moments, of course, had Sasuke instantly frozen in place.

"What are you doing?" The same guarded tone was used only this time there was the faintest tremor that none but his closest friends would have caught.

"Getting comfy."

After several minutes Sasuke lowered his arms and let one rest across Naruto's back, bringing him closer if anything. Both boys had racing thoughts, neither knew what this meant for their friendship and they were terrified of the prospect of losing one another. Finally Sasuke broke the silence.

"What does this mean for us then?"

"I don't know. Maybe that we're both so tired of being alone and that we deserve not to be anymore," Naruto leaned on his elbow to look Sasuke in the eye and continued rambling like he always did when nervous. "I mean, come on Sasuke, this shouldn't be surprising for either of us. I was always chasing you and you were always...well not killing me. Could anyone else really understand our lives? Kami, I love Sakura like a sister but she doesn't get what it's like to be alone. Even she never really understands me, especially not like you do. I guess I always figured I'd end up with her but she really is more of a sister and you're my brother, best friend, and like a separate-angsty, broody, angry, evil, and just plain stupid-me. Can you see this ending any other way? I mean, if you do I'll still be your best friend-"

Sasuke finally took pity on his friend and put his hand against Naruto's mouth to stem the flow of words.

"No. I never saw any future for myself that didn't have you being a dumbass in it."

Naruto frowned at this but laid his head back down on his friend/rival/love's chest before thumping him in the stomach lightly. Apparently any relationship they had was going to be filled with insults and arguments to conceal how they felt, he doubted either of them would really ever be secure enough to say straight out what they felt.

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A/N Oh my goodness, I was supposed to be in bed four hours ago, I have class in four and half hours. This idea had been floating around my head and I finally just sat down and made myself finish it. I'm not sure if it turned out how I wanted, and I may yet tweak it a bit.


End file.
